Youtube

In terms of online learning, I don't think its an exaggeration to say there was 'before Youtube' and 'after Youtube', such is the impact its had not just on education but the world in general.
According to recent figures from Alexa Top 500 sites, it is the third most visited website after Yahoo and Google, which is some feat considering it was only created in 2005. Such is the extent of its influence that the political candidates for the recent U.S. election used Youtube to advertise their campaigns. Its beneficial as its free for people to post videos.
As I teach media/film making, Youtube is used as a resource on a regular basis, it helps with short clips due to attention span of students. An example used in the past is from Michael Manns modern day classic HEAT.



This I combine with a more traditional resource-the handout

NEIL
(beat; then)
Sure. Buy me a cup of coffee.
Hanna crosses back to his car.
CUT TO:
EXT. FOOD STAND - HANNA + NEIL - NIGHT
at a table. Headlights stream by to and from the airport:
business people, families going on vacations, people living
normal lives who have never used guns to kill people, never
experienced physical violence, some who have never been
stolen from and never steal. Surrounded on all sides by
this flow of normalcy:
HANNA
Seven years in San Quentin. In
the hole for three. McNeil before
that.
NEIL
Yeah.
HANNA
Was McNeil as tough as they say?
NEIL
You looking to become a
penologist?
HANNA
You looking to go back? I chased
some crews, the guys were lookin'
to fuck up and get busted back.
NEIL
You must have worked some dipshit
crews.
HANNA
I worked all kinds.

Rather than just using a film script, now with Youtube the students can actually see how the written word is transformed into film. The Greek philosopher Aristotle in his Rhetoric (Book III) tells us of the significance of words and graphic metaphors should "set the scene before our eyes" (1971 p663-664) I've found the student is more liable to pay notice with visual images.
The benefit of YoutTube is that it is free and because its visual, its a good tool for students with learning needs such as dyslexia. Reece & Walker state that video is "method of bringing realism in the classroom" (2007, p.120). On the down side is that "may be perceived as merely entertainment" (Reece & Walker 2007, p.120) and importantly copyright issues, see YouTubes policy http://uk.youtube.com/t/howto_copyright
Personally I see it as "People who dream of being producers, directors, or journalists share their videos on YouTube and gauge responses from the community" (Educase Learning Initiative 2006).


ANON(2009) Alexa Top 500 Sites. [Online] Available: http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_sites?ts_mode=global&lang=none

Aristotle, Works of Aristotle (translated by Roberts,W.R 1971) London: Oxford University Press

Educase Learning Initiative (2006) 7 things you should know about...YouTube. [Online].Available:http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7018.pdf 2009]

Mann,Michael HEAT (1995) [Online]. Available:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7oTNNjRuqbE&feature=related

Markham,Reed(2009) YouTube in the Classroom: History, Impact, and Curriculum Enhancements. [Online] Available:https://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/665131?articleid=665131

Reece,I & Walker,S. (2007) Teaching, Training & Learning: A Practical Guide. 6th Ed. Tyne & Wear: Business Education Publishers Limited